Hugh M. Funson (1851-1941)

FUNSON, SHUGART

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/3/2015 at 21:51:12

From Nevada Evening Journal March 12, 1941

Memorial Service Held for Pioneer Lawyer

Regular activities in Story county district court paused for an hour Tuesday afternoon for a memorial service in honor of the late Hugh M. Funston of Ottawa, Kans. a pioneer Nevada lawyer, who was brought back home for burial a few weeks ago.

Following the regular default procedure, Judge Clock paused the court to convene for a memorial service, which was presided over by Col. H. E. Hadley, president of the Story County Bar Association.

Harry S. Funston, only son of the deceased, long connected with the real estate department in the office of the Soo lines in Minneapolis, Minn., was present upon invitation of the bar association.

In the presence of a large group of attorneys, but one of whom was in practice in the county when Mr. Funston left in 1902, after practicing law here since his graduation in 1878, C. G. Lee of Ames offered and submitted the memorial resolution, which he and Bert B. Welty of Nevada had prepared. These are the only attorneys now in active practice in the county who were here in the time of Mr. Funston.

The resolution which ere unanimously adopted and ordered by the court spread upon the records of the court, were as follows:

IN MEMORIAM

"The passing of Hugh M. Funston, one of Story county's pioneer lawyers, prompts the suggestion that the routine work of the court be suspended while an appropriate memorial be made of accord honoring his memory.

"Hugh M. Funston was born in Philadelphia, Pa., June 24, 1848, of Irish parentage. Soon after his birth, his parents removed to Ohio. From there they removed to Illinois and settled on a farm near Henry. He attended country school in a log school house. Later he attended the Henry high school. He early decided to become a lawyer and he sold histories of the Civil War in order to secure a legal education. He graduated from the law department of the University of Iowa in 1876.

"He was a classmate of the late J. F. Martin of Nevada, and they together located at Nevada for the practice of law following their graduation. This partnership continued for some time, and then Mr. Funston formed a partnership with E. W. Gifford. He continued in the practice of law at Nevada, from 1876 to 1902. He then removed from Nevada to Minneapolis, where he practiced for nine years. From there be removed to Oattawa, Kansas, where he continued in the practice until shortly before his death at the age of 92.

"Mr. Funston was well versed in the law. He was a genial, upright man, had a keen appreciation of Justice, and was an able and zealous advocate. During his career in this county he participated actively as an attorney in a major portion of the important litigation. He was a leading attorney for the defendants in two of this county's most notorious cases, namely: State vs. Porter, et al and State vs. Grindem.

"Mr. Funston was married in 1878 to Ella Shugart of Nevada, who survived by one son, Harry S. Funston, who lives at Minneapolis, and is employed by the Soo Lines."--Bert B. Welty and C. G. Lee, committee